February 2, 2004

The Library of Congress presents Contemporary Lusophone African Literatures and Cultures: A Colloquium on Cape Verde and Mozambique from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, in LJ 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, 10 First Street S.E., Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public. Although no tickets are required, attendees are asked to contact (202) 707-2003 to register.

This event, which is organized by the Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, is sponsored by the Library's Hispanic Division, African and Middle Eastern Division and the John W. Kluge Center; along with the Luso-American Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal; Rutgers University; and the Embassy of the Republic of Cape Verde.

Rui Machete, president of the Luso-American Foundation, will present welcoming remarks. The keynote address for this event will be given by Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president of Brazil and Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth will present two new volumes on Portuguese literature and culture: Vol. 8 is devoted to the Republic of Cape Verde and Vol. 10 is about Mozambique.

Among the speakers discussing the literature and culture of Cape Verde are: José Brito, ambassador of the Republic of Cape Verde and writer; Ana Mafalda Leite, University of Lisbon; Phyllis Peres, University of Maryland; Manuel Veiga, author, and member of parliament, Cape Verde; and Jorge Tolentino Araújo, the minister of culture of Cape Verde.

Speakers discussing the literature and culture of Mozambique are Armando Panguene, ambassador of the Republic of Mozambique; author Lilia Momplé, also from Mozambique; Phillip Rothwell of Rutgers University; and Russell Hamilton of Vanderbilt University.